The symposium ‘Art as a Tool for Freedom’ took place on the 20th of May at the Roosevelt Study Center in Middelburg.

It was a day of meetings- between professors in human rights law, history and social science and printmaking. The issue of Freedom made for the wheel, which around the talks spun. Besides freedom- the question was- what could art do for freedom - for human rights?

The previous day Amos Kennedy carried out a letter press workshop on the square as we asked people what freedom meant
to them. Amos had already printed cards with Freedom on it- and people could add their thoughts. In the end, it required direct action by Iris de Leeuw and myself: people were reluctant to write on the cards- and unsure what we actually wanted from them- money? Time? After some gentle coercion , they picked up their pens and really started talking.To me- this proved that we do need freedom from fear.

Freedom from fear of connecting and engaging in ideas with strangers.

John Phillips- from London Printmaking Studio- put on a instant street show with anarchist echoes- and sold the Freedom cards; No one bought freedom.

Next day- Amos concluded the symposium with a talk in the medieval herb garden. He showed posters made with American school children on freedom.
The children had courage- more that the adults on the square.

Freedom House Art is now becoming a reality- through the vision of Iris de Leeuw. This could be the place where the socially engaged print- regains its agency.

On the way back to London- in the train I thought of what wonderful days these had been - filled with meaning, curiosity and the light of good ideas. There, in the train, it was moment of silence when I could be still and inspired again.